Ven Pongal & Kotsu

Ingredients [For Pongal] : 

Good quality of raw rice - 1 glass

Moong dal -1/2 glass [nisely boiled ]

Water - 4 glasses

Salt - as per taste

Ghee - 1/4 cup

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Asafoetida - 1/2 sp

Black pepper - 1/2 sp

Cumin seeds - 1 sp

Cashewnuts - 10 [broken]

Curry leaves -little

Oil - 2 tbl sp.

Method :

Wash the rice nicely. Then take a pressure pan, keep it on the gas & put the boiled moong dal along with rice. Add 4 glasses of water, salt, asafoetida, ginger piece, black pepper, jeera powder & mix well. Close the cooker & wait for around 4-5 whistles to come. Wait for a while till the steam comes out fully & then heat the ghee & oil together in kadai. Fry cashewnuts, little black pepper, 2 sp of cumin seeds & curry leaves & pour it to the pongal. Your ven pongal is ready. Serve hot with kotsu. This type of pongal I learned from my mother who is also an expert cook.

                         

Vegetable Kotsu :

Ingredients :

Brinjal - 1/4 kg

Big onion - 2 peeled & chopped

Big tomatoes - 2 finely chopped

Slit green chillies - 2

Big potato - 1[cut into dices]

Carrot - 1 [cut into dices]

Fresh peas - 1/4 cup

Tamarind paste - 1 sp

Salt - as per raste

Turmeric powder - 1/2 sp

Red chillie powder - 1 sp

Sambar powder - 3/4 sp

Sugar or jaggery -1 tbl sp

Oil - 2 tbl sp

Mustard seeds - 1 sp

Broken black gram dal - 1 sp

Bengal gram dal - 1 sp

Boiled moong dal - 1/2 cup

Crushed pepper jeera powder - 1 sp

Curry leaves - little 

Cut fresh coriander leaves - little.

Method :

Take one small pressure cooker & pour oil. Add mustard seeds, broken gram dal, bengal gram dal. When the mustard seeds splutters add onion, green chillie & curry leaves. When the onion turns to light pink colour, add other vegetables one by one & fry for 2 mins. Then add salt, turmeric, red chillie powder, sambar powder, little sugar or jaggery, tamarind paste & mix well. Add enough water along with boiled moong dal & chopped tomatoes. Put the crushed pepper jeera powder & mix well. Close the cooker. After 3 whistles, remove the cooker from the gas. After the pressure comes out, open the cooker & garnish with the coriander leaves. Serve with ven pongal.

Bajji [Vegetables ]

Ingredients :

Vegetables Used :

Raw banana - 1
Potato - 1
Onion - 1
Brinjal - 1
Oil - For deep frying.

Ingredients for outer layer :

Besan - 1 cup
Raw rice flour - 1/4 cup
Red chillie powder - 1 sp
Asafoetida - 1/4 sp
Salt - As required
Baking soda - 1/4 sp.

Method :

Wash & peel the skin of all the vegetables. Cut raw banana, brinjal  into flat thin long slices. Potatoes, onion  are to be cut into thin round pieces. Keep the vegetables ready in a plate. To make the outer layer for the bajji, mix all the ingredients given above. Then take one vessel & put besan, raw rice powder, baking powder & mix well. Add  red chilli powder, salt, asafoetida & just enough water to make it to dosa batter consistency. It should be neither too watery nor too thick. Then keep one kadai on the gas pour some oil & heat it. Dip each piece of vegetable in the batter thoroughly & deep fry in hot oil turning both sides. 3 or 4 bajjies can be made at a time.When the bajjies become brown in colour on both the sides, remove from the oil  & place it  over a tissue paper to drain any excess oil. Your bajji is ready to eat. Serve hot with coconut chutney or green chutney.  

Green chuntney :

Ingredients :

Coriander leaves - 2 bunches
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green chillies - 8
Chutney dal - 2 tsp.

Method :

Grind all these to a fine paste by adding little salt & enough water in the mixer. Your green chutney is ready.

Rice Ball Kozhakatai & Coconut Chutney

Ingredients :

Good quality of raw rice - 1 cup
Red gram dhal - 1/2 cup
Grated fresh coconut - 1 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 6
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Asafoetida - 1/4 sp
Salt - as required.

For seasoning :

Oil - 2 sp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Broken black gram - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 2 [broken]
Curry leaves - few.

Method :

Wash & sock the rice, red gram dhal  for 30 mints & then drain the water completely & spread over a cloth & powder both into rava. grind 1/4 part of greated coconut with green chillies,ginger, & asafoetida. then keep one kadai on the gas pour little oil season with musterd seeds,broken black gram dal, a pinch of asafoetida & curry leaves.Add the ground coconut paste & 4  more cups of water put salt & allow to boil. When the water starts boiling  add the powdered rice dal  rava  mixture.Stir continuously from the bottom, adding the remaining finely grated coconut. When all the water is absorbed & the rava is well cooked,make the flame slow & keep it  for 5 mints more &  remove from the gas & allow to cool. Then make ovel or round shape size balls & steam in cooker for 10 mints. Then open the lid after 5 mints & transfer it  to other bowl. Serve hot or cold with hot sambar & coconut chutney.

Coconut Chutney :

Ingredients :

Fresh greated coconut - 2 cups
Green chillies - 4
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Chutney dal - 1 tbl sp
Salt - as per taste.

Seasoning :

Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Broken black gram dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 1 [broken]
Curry leaves - few.

Method :
Grind all the ingredients together to a fine mixture using little water.Then season with the ingredients given for seasoning.Garnish with curry leaves & finely cut coriander leaves

Variation :

Adding 1/4 cup curd or very little tamarind at the time of grinding can give a slight diff taste.

Melagu kuzambu

Ingredients : [For frying in oil & powder]

  
Broken black gram - 3 tbl sp
Pepper Corns - 1 tbl sp
Red chilli - 5 to 6
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - little [To sprinkle].

Fry these in oil till the black gram dal is golden & then make powder in mixer & keep aside.

Other Ingredients :

Sundaikai vatral - 10
Tamarind paste -2 tbl sp
Turmeric powder -1/4 sp
Salt - as required
Asafoetida - 1/4 sp
Curry leaves - little [To sprinkle].

Method :

Keep one vessel on the gas, pour 2 sp of ghee & add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, sundakai vatral & curry leaves. When mustard seeds are spullted & sundakai becomes brown in colour extract the tamarind paste & the powdered masala with required water. Add salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida, curry leaves & boil well till the quantity is reduced & the gravy is thickened. Serve with hot rice, roasted or fried papads & roasted curry or other varieties of side dishes. You can keep this for 1 week in fridge.

Tender Jack Fruit Thoran [Idi Chaka Podutuva]

Ingredients :
   
Tender green jack fruit - 1 small
Turmeric powder - 1/2 sp
Salt - 1 sp

For seasoning :

Oil - 2 sp
Mustard seeds - 1 sp
Urad dhal - 1/2 sp
Curry leaves - little
Coconut [ fresh ] - 1/2 cup
Green chillie - 2

Method :

Peel the thick skin of the jack fruit & cut the white portion into big pieces. Take a pressure pan, add just enough water to cover the vegetable. Now add salt, turmeric powder & cook till it becomes soft. Then drain the water & crush the pieces with a ladle or hand. [ do not smash.] Coarsely grind chillie & fresh grated  coconut without adding water. Then heat coconut oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, urad dhal & curry leaves. When the mustard seeds splutters, add the jack fruit & mix well. Check for salt & add the grained masala to that & fry for 5 mins in low flame.Then remove from the gas. Your idi chaka thoran is ready. Serve with rice, sambar, rasam etc. 

Rice Items :

1.                                                       Methi Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Cut vegetables - 1 cup
• Methi Leaves - 1 1/2 cup
• Cashewnut - 10 [small pieces]
• Oil - 3 tbl sp
• Ghee - 2 tbl sp
• Salt - As per taste
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillie powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Fresh cream - 3 tbl sp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Lemon - 1
• Onions - 2 [Diced into small].

Method:

Soak rice for 15 mins. Take a pressure pan & keep in gas. Pour oil & ghee together & heat it. Add onions, garlic & fry for 5 mins. When the onion turns pink, add carrot, baby potato, peas, & then methi leaves [do not chop].
Cook for another 5 mins in low flame. Add salt, turmeric, red chillie powder, garam masala, sugar, fresh cream & mix well. Add the soaked rice & 4 cups of water to that. Close the lid. Reduce the flame & cook in the pressure cooker for 10 mins. Squeeze the lemon juice after removing from fire. Fry cashewnuts  in ghee & pour it over the methi rice.
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2.                                                     Paneer Pulav


Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 200 gms
• Potato - 1 medium size
• Cauliflower - 1 small
• Onions - 1 or 2
• Fresh Peas - 50 gms
• Paneer or Cottage Cheese - Made from 1 litre of milk
• Salt - As required                        
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Black Cardamoms - 2
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ghee or Oil - 3 to 4 tbl sps
• Lemon - 1
• Red Chillie Powder - 1/2 or 3/4 tsp.

Method:

Slice onions lengthwise. Peel & dice potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Separate cauliflower into small flowerettes. Make paneer from 1 litre milk. Cut paneer into 1 inch cubes. Soak rice for 15 minutes, drain water & fry in half tsp of ghee separately for 2 minutes.
Heat oil in a heavy vessel. Carefully fry paneer cubes till light brown on both sides. Remove from oil & blanch it in warm water till its required. [This makes paneer soft.] In the remaining oil, fry potato cubes till it becomes golden brown & keep separately. In the same manner, fry onions also till it becomes crisp & keep separately.
To the remaining oil, add cinnamon, clove, bay leaf & cardamoms.When it is fried, add cumin seeds, peas & cauliflower. Fry for few minutes. Pour 2 cups of water, salt & chillie powder. When it starts boiling, add rice, fried potatoes & half of the paneer pieces. Mix gently & close with a thin muslin cloth & on top with a tight lid. Reduce flame completely & allow the rice to cook for 20 mins. Remove the lid & check whether there is water & then remove from fire.[If there is water left, keep on fire for another 1or 2 mins.] Squeeze lemon juice & mix gently. Serve hot with fried onion rings & with paneer pieces on top.
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3.                                                   Szechwan Fried Rice                

Ingredients: 

• Basmati Rice - 1 cup
• Cabbage [Diced] - 1/4 cup
• Capsicum Diced] - 1/4 cup
• Spring Onions - bunch
• Peas - 1/4 cup [Cooked]
• Diced Carrots - 1/4 cup  
• Soya Sauce - 1 tbl sp
• Tomato Garlic Sauce - 1 tbl sp
• Worcestershire Sauce - 1 tbl sp
• Powdered Salt - As required
• White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• Aji-no-moto - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 3 1/2 tbl sps.

Grind together:

• Red Chillies - 6
• Garlic - 4 flakes
• Ginger - 1/4 inch piece.

Method:

Wash & soak rice for 10 mins.Cook in 12 to 15 cups of boiling water, to which little salt & little oil is added. Drain water & allow to cool completely.Cut all the vegetables into fine even sized cubes. Cut spring onion tops into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add the grained masala & fry for a minute. Stir in onions, carrots, capsicums & cabbage in the order given. Fry in high flame with aji-no-moto. When vegetables are tendered, add salt, onion tops & pepper. Fry for a minute. Mix other sauces & rice. Fry well in high flame for few mins. Serve steaming hot.
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4.                                                   Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmathi Rice - 1 cup
• Tomato Pulp - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Green Chillies - 4
• Red Chillie Powder - 1 sp
• Small Onion [Peeled] - 1/4 cup
• Garlic Flakes - 2 to 3
• Lemon - 1/2
• Salt - As required
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 sp
• Coriander Leaves - 1 tbl sp [Cut finely]
• Cashewnut Paste - 1 tbl sp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
• Cloves - 3
• Cardamoms - 2
• Bay leaf - 1           

Method:

Wash & soak rice for 10 mins. Peel onions & cut green chillies lengthwise. Grind tomatoes & stain to get uniform pulp. Fry rice in half a tsp of ghee till the moisture is absorbed. Heat oil in a pressure pan & fry masala spices, ginger garlic paste, green chillies & onions. Add tomato pulp & water. When it starts boiling, add salt, chillie powder, cashewnut paste, little sugar & rice. Mix well. Reduce flame & pressure cook for 10 mins. If tomatoes are very sweet, squeeze lemon juice after removing lid. Garnish with cut coriander leaves.

Variation:

Cook rice in coconut extract, which is mixed with tomato juice.
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5.                                                      Hyderabadi Biryani

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• Fresh thick curds - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Mixed diced vegetables - 2 cups
• [Potato, Carrots, Peas]
• Oil - 2 tbl sp
• Ghee - 2 tbl sp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Onions - 2 cut lengthwise
• Salt - As required
• Lemon - 1
• Finely cut mint leaves - 2 tbl sp
• Finely cut coriander leaves - 2 tbl sp.

Grind together:

• Cashewnuts - 1 tbl sp
• Small onions - 6 to 7
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
• Green chillies - 7
• Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom - 2
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup.

Method:

Wash & soak rice for 1/2 an hour. Then drain water & fry for 2 mins in half a tsp of ghee. Keep one pressure pan on the gas, pour some oil & ghee together, add onion, ginger pieces & fry for 3 mins. Then mix ginger garlic paste & diced vegetables. Fry in medium flame till vegetables becomes soft. Add the grained masala paste & fry till the raw smell goes. Beat curds & add it along with 1 cup of water. When it starts boiling, add rice & salt, cover with the lid & reduce flame completely. Keep the weight as soon as the lid is closed. Cook for 10 mins. Then remove from the fire. Squeeze lemon juice & add cut mint leaves & coriander leaves. Mix well & serve hot with onion raitha.

Note: Receipe of onion raitha [Given in raitha's post].
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6.                                                    Coconut Rice


Ingredients:

• Good quality of raw rice - 1 1/2 cup
• Fresh grated coconut - 1 1/2 cup
• Salt - As per taste.

For Seasoning:

• Coconut Oil - 2 tbl sp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Black broken gram dal - 1 tsp
• Red dry chillies - 4 [Broken pieces]
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs.

For Garnishing:

• Fried cashewnuts - 15 [Broken].

Method:

Take one big coconut & scrape only the upper layer i.e; the white portion. Wash & cook the rice firmly. Then take one kadai, keep it on the gas, pour the coconut oil & heat it. Add mustard seeds, black gram dal, broken red chillies & curry leaves. When mustard seeds splutters & black gram dal turns to golden colour, add grated coconut, fry till a nice smell comes & coconut turns light golden. At this time, add the cooked rice, salt & mix well. Cook for 5 mins till it gives a fried look. Remove from the heat, transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with fried cashewnuts. Serve with papad, potato wafers.

Note : Cooking the rice in coconut milk gives extra flavour.
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7.                                                        Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

• Good quality rice - 1 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - As per taste
• Curry leaves - Little
• Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup.

For Seasoning:

• Oil - 2 tbl sp
• Lemon - 1
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Black broken gram dal - 1 tsp
• Roasted gram - 1 tsp [Pottu kadalai]
• Bengal gram - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillie - 2 [Broken].

For Garnishing:

• Fried papad [Make into small pieces or potato wafers].

Method:

Cook the rice firmly, drain the excess water, spread in a plate to become cool. Then heat 2 tbl sp of oil in a kadai, season with mustard seeds, black gram dal, bengal gram dal, red chillies & curry leaves. Fry till dal turns to golden colour. Add turmeric powder, fry for 2 seconds & then add rice, salt, coriander leaves & fry for 3 mins to give a fried look. Remove from the gas & then add the lemon juice, roasted gram dal & mix well. Transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with fried potatoes or papads.
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8.                                                   Dilkhush Pulav

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cup
• Fresh orange juice - 1 cup
• Ghee - 4 tbl sp
• Cloves - 3
• Cinnamon - 3
• Cardamom - 3
• Bay leaf - 2
• Onions - 3 [Sliced]
• Salt - As per taste
• Red chillie powder - 2 sp
• Red apple - 1/2 [Cut into dices]
• Pine apple - 2 slices [Cut into dices]
• Seedless grapes - 2 tbl sp
• Almond & cashew - To garnish.

Method:

Clean the rice & soak in the water for 30 mins. Then take a pressure pan, keep on the gas & pour ghee to that. Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf to that & fry for 2 seconds. Then add sliced onions to that & fry for 5 mins. When the onions turns to brown in colour, pour the orange juice along with 2 cups of water. Add salt, chillie powder & rice. Mix well & close the lid. When 2 whisle comes switch off the gas. When the pressure goes, open the cooker & add the apple, pineapple, grapes & mix well. Finely garnish with roasted cashews & almond. Serve hot with pineapple raitha.
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9.                                                          Jeera Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• Cashewnuts - 1 tbl sp
• Pure ghee - 2 tbl sp
• Oil - 1 tbl sp
• Cumin seeds - 2 sp
• Bay leaf - 2
• Fresh green peas - 1/4 cup
• Lemon juice - 1 sp
• Salt - As required.

Method:

Wash & soak the rice for 1/2 an hour. Then take one pressure pan, pour ghee & oil together. Add cumin seeds & bay leaf. When the seeds splutters, add the rice & fry the rice which is taken directly from the water. Fry till the moisture is absorbed. Then add the peas, salt along with 2 cups of water. Before closing the lid add lemon juice so that rice comes seperately & doesn't come in sticky form. Wait for 3 whistles. Then open the cooker & once the pressure comes out, the jeera rice is ready to serve.
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10.                                                   Sambhar Bhath

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1 glass
• Tuvar dal - 3/4 glass
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 sp
• Salt - As required
• Tamarind paste - 1 sp
• Ghee - 2 tbl sp
• Oil - 2 tbl sp
• Red chillie powder - 1 sp
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbl sp [Chopped]
• Curry leaves - Little.

Vegetables used for Sambar Bhath:

• Sambar onion - 1/2 cup [Peeled]
• Brinjal - 2 [Cut into dices]
• Ladies finger - 3 to 4 [Cut into 1 inch piece]
• Drumstick - 1 [Cut into 2 inch pieces]
• Carrot - 1 [Cut into dices]
• Potato - 1 [Cut into small pieces]
• Tomatoes - 2 [Cut into small pieces].

Masala for Grinding:

• Coriander seeds - 1 sp
• Bengal gram dal - 1/2 sp
• Red dry chillies - 5 to 6
• Grated fresh coconut - 2 tbl sp.

[Fry all ingredients in oil till it turns to golden brown & grind in the mixer].

Method:

Take one pressure cooker, keep it on the gas & pressure cook dal & rice together adding salt, turmeric. When the pressure goes, open the lid , remove the  bhath & keep aside. Then keep the pressure pan on the gas, pour oil & ghee together. Then put the onion & fry for 2 mins. When the onion turns light pink in colour, add other vegetables one by one. Then put salt, turmeric powder, red chillie powder & mix well. Add tamarind paste & pour enough water. When it starts boiling, add the cooked bhath, grained masala & mix well. Close lid & wait for 4 whistles to come. Then remove from the gas, allow to cool & open the pressure pan, add some ghee to that. Garnish with chopped coriander & curry leaves. Serve hot with fried potato  sabhji & fried papad.

Halwa :

1.                                       Ashoka Halwa [Moongdal Halwa]

Ingredients:

• Boiled Moong Dal - 1 cup
• Wheat Flour - 1 cup
• Ghee - 1 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 2 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1 sp
• Food Colour - 2 drops [Green or Red]
• Cashewnuts - 10
• Resins - 10.

Method :

Boil the moong dal in cooker. Make sure that the dal is not over cooked. After removing the dal from the cooker, mix the sugar to that & keep aside. Keep one heavy kadai on the gas & pour the ghee, add cashews, resins along with wheat flour. Fry till the cashews become light brown in colour. Then add the mixture [of moong dal] to that & keep on stirring so that the halwa doesn't stick in the vessel. At this time add food colour, cardamom powder to the halwa. Lower the flame, stir for 5 more mins. Remove from the gas. Enjoy the ashoka halwa.

Variation :

You can also add 1 cup of milk powder along with wheat flour inorder to give you more taste.
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2.                                          Dudhi Halwa [Suraikai]

Ingredients:

• Medium size dudhi [Grated] - 1
• Milk - 1/2 litre
• Sweetless kova [Mawa] - 100 gms
• Sugar - 500 gms
• Ghee - 50 gms
• Cardamom powder - 1 sp
• Broken dry fruits - 2 tbl sp [For Garnising]
• Food colour - 2 drops [Green].

Method:

Keep one non-stick kadai on the gas & put 2 tbl sp of  ghee & add grated dudhi to that & fry for 10 mins. When the raw smell goes, add milk to that. Allow to boil for 15 mins in low flame. In between stir the halwa. When the milk is completely absorbed, add the mawa [or kowa] to that along with sugar. Add 2 drops of food colour [green] to that & mix well. When the halwa becomes thick, non sticking the vessel, [i.e; it should not stick towards the vessel] add cardamom powder & broken dry fruits. Remove from the gas. Enjoy the halwa hot or cool.
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3.                                                   Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

• Grated carrots - 3 cups
• Milk - 2 cups
• Sugar - 2 cups
• Ghee - 1 1/2 tbl sp
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 sp
• Cashewnuts & Resins - 10.

Method:

Add milk to grated carrots & pressure cook till one whistle. Mix sugar to this & keep stirring in heavy kadai in a medium flame. When the milk is completely absorbed, add half of the ghee & fry for 3 mins & remove from the gas. Then fry cashews & resins in the remaining ghee & mix it with halwa with cardamom powder. Your mouth watering halwa is ready to serve.

Variation:

Add 200 gms crumbled plain mawa [Sweetless Kova] when the halwa is 3/4th cooked. Grind the carrots to smooth paste after cooking & then follow the recipe.